Looks elegant, right? It’s a posh meal for special occasions, but my version is simple to make and super delicious.

One ingredient in this dish is traditionally pâté, often pâté de foie gras. Well, I don’t know about anyone else, but my grocery store doesn’t carry this item. They do, however, have a pork pâté, and I’m just not sure how that would work with this dish. So as usual, I’m changing things up.

Let’s start with what’s known as Duxelles. This is what I’m using instead of the pâté. This is my Beef Wellington. To go alongside, my Mocha Chili Spiced Roasted Asparagus.

I forgot to mention: one of the pictures above is a play on Surf and Turf. Steve caught a couple of Red Ear Sunfish earlier. I sautéed them simply in butter with garlic, lemon, and fresh parsley.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes to 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Yields: 2 servings
Equipment: 1 (10-cup) food processor, 1 rimmed baking sheet pan, 1 (12-inch) sauté pan, 1 (12-inch) cast-iron skillet, small mixing bowl, chef’s knife, cutting board

Ingredients for the Duxelles:
3 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
1 large shallot, roughly chopped
1 pint of cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of butter, unsalted
1/4 cup of Pinot Grigio
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/2 cup of Italian-style breadcrumbs

Ingredients for the Beef Wellington:
1 box of Puff Pastry sheets, Pepperidge Farm, both sheets thawed
2 (8-ounce) Filet Mignons
1 1/3 cups prepared Duxelles (approx. amount)
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt, divided between the two steaks
1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground and divided between the two steaks
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
4 slices of prosciutto, thinly sliced

Instructions for the Duxelles:
Add the garlic to a food processor and pulse until minced. Next, add the chopped shallots. Pulse until the shallots are minced. Add the cremini mushrooms and pulse until they are finely minced. Lastly, add 1 tablespoon olive oil to bind the ingredients together. Transfer to a bowl. Refer to the pictures.

In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the Duxelles (mushroom mixture) to the hot sauté pan. Next, add the Pinot Grigio and stir occasionally. Allow the wine to reduce for about 5 minutes. At this point, add the freshly chopped thyme leaves.

To a pan, add heavy cream, stir to combine, and cook for 2-3 minutes. You may notice there is still too much liquid in the pan to match the consistency of a pâté. That’s where the breadcrumbs come into play. Add 1/2 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs to the pan, and stir until completely combined. This will give you the right consistency. Refer to the pictures.

Instructions for the Beef Wellington:
Now for the steaks. Traditionally, Beef Wellington is made with a whole tenderloin wrapped in puff pastry. This is a little different because I’m making individual Beef Wellingtons.

Start with a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the canola oil and heat until the oil shimmers. First, pat the meat dry on both sides. Season both sides of the steaks with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place the steaks into the skillet; do not touch for the first 1-2 minutes.

The steaks will stick to the bottom of the pan at first and then release naturally when ready to flip. After a few minutes (using a mitt), shake the skillet; if the meat releases from the pan, then it’s ready to be flipped to the other side. Repeat the process. Transfer the steaks to a plate, and turn off the heat.

Preheat oven to 425°F.

In a small mixing bowl, spoon Dijon and whole-grain mustard, and whisk to combine. Together, spread this mustard mixture over the top of each filet.

Lay one sheet out on your board and place the steak in the center. Spread half the duxelles over top of the mustard. Wrap 2 slices of prosciutto around the steak and mushroom mixture. Repeat this process for the second filet. Refer to the pictures.

Take one side and pull the other side over, pinching the two sides together. Then fold the ends underneath and place down on a rimmed baking sheet. Do the same with the second filet. Using a paring knife, make 3 tiny slits in the top to release steam, then score the top in a criss-cross pattern.

Finally, brush the tops with egg wash. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and the steaks register 125°F. on an instant-read thermometer. Remove from oven and rest for 5 minutes.

Serve with a side of my Roasted Mocha-Chili Spiced Asparagus.

There you have it, my Beef Wellington.

Notes:
1) You want to remember when using puff pastry to keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. You want it to be cold. Allow the pastry to thaw overnight in the fridge.

2) *Eggwash: 2 large eggs and 2 tablespoons of water whisked together.

3) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value matter to you, I recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and values can vary, depending on the brands you choose.

https://lindalouhamel.com/2019/07/10/summer-time-flowers-and-herbs/

https://lindalouhamel.com/2017/12/25/mocha-chili-spiced-roasted-asparagus-p-s-flavor-artisanal-spice-blends/